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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stock · arm · charge · current · cap · cabinet · court · stand

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. stand — to bear
  3. cap — a lid
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. court — of law
  9. stock — shares
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. charge — in control
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. current — electric
  19. court — of a king
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. charge — a price
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com